ALBUM REVIEWS

A selection of new and reissued guitar releases, including Album Of The Month

Johnny Marr, Lindsey Buckingham, Prince, Eric Clapton, John Scofield, Richie Kotzen.

ALBUM OF THE MONTH PAUL GILBERT WEREWOLVES OF PORTLAND The Players Club l 9/10

With Paul’s 16th studio album, we hear once again how a guitar into a distorted amp can catch audiences’ attention! Paul played all guitar, bass, drums and keyboard parts, his Ibanez Fireman guitars being the most used.

The album’s title was partly inspired by Warren Zevon’s Werewolves Of London but (Paul lives in Portland, USA) with the music shaped by creating lyrics and melodies to form the essence of his lead playing. This song-based approach to creating instrumentals works well and provides a lot of expression; while Paul is one of the most jaw-dropping shredders around, his vibrato, string bending, phrasing, slide technique and rich Marshall tone make him an appealing musician all round. Hello! North Dakota is a great example; ceremonial harmony guitar intro, vocal-like slide leads, 70s funky wah riffing and a shredding blues-rock solo. Note his interest in good pop chord progressions, on tracks such as My Goodness and Meaningful (the beauty of the IVm chord move). Of course, if you want the shred it’s there, just dressed up differently than, say, earlier Racer X classics like Scarified. Singing melodies, great rock grooves, vibrant chord progressions, versatile guitar chops and lots of musical variety, this is a great album! (JS)

BILLY GIBBONS HARDWARE Concord Records 8/10

After five decades this Texan legend is still going strong. Hardware is just what you expect from the bearded dude of cool as his 12 songs feature big riffs, pounding drums, and vocals that growl and soar. Opener, My Lucky Card grabs from the get-go - drop D guitars set the scene, the drums swing hard and the vocals roar. Great slide solo too. With Matt Sorum on drums and Austin Hanks sharing guitar duties, there is a modern spark here, too; More-More-More’s steady groove and huge guitars are classic Billy. Swinging tracks like Shuffle, Step & Slide and the smoky closer, Desert High are most appealing. Vagabond Man’s progression and double-stop ornamentation are very Jimi, while the twisty riffs of West Coast Junkie

should perk up ears, as will the 50s rock and roll beat. The guitars of I Was A Highway evoke the ZZ vibe superbly. He may think he’s bad but he’s still pretty sharp to us! (JS)

MARTY FRIEDMAN TOKYO JUKEBOX 3 The Players Club 9/10

Marty Friedman stands as a unique guitarist in metal and rock, with bags of attitude and colour. Marty’s style is an intriguing mix of The Ramones and Queen, as well as the cascading virtuosity of the 80s’ finest shredders, with phrasing that evokes the Far East. This heady brew spans the beauty of Scenes (1991) and the blaze-a-thon of Wall Of Sound (2017). Placed in the middle is Marty’s love of Japanese pop, of which he has recorded two previous Tokyo Jukebox albums. There are 12 tracks, all instrumental except The Perfect World, a song from 2018 with new vocals from Alfakyun (Japanese J-Pop singer). One of the most noticeable aspects of Marty’s playing is his vocal-like lead, shaped not just by vibrant vibrato but also how he varies his string bends to get into and out of notes, almost a steroid version of Brian May’s pre- and ghost bends. Makenaide, Gurenge, Sazanka and the closing track, Japan Heritage Official Theme Song are just four that showcase his lyricism and precision. If you’ve not heard Marty in the last decade or two, TK3 is nothing short of a sonic treat! (JS)

GRETA VAN FLEET THE BATTLE AT GARDEN’S GATE EMI Records 9/10

When Greta Van Fleet made their debut, the comparisons to Led Zep attracted praise and vitriol in equal measure. But if anything is going to settle the matter it’s this, their second album. Since 2018’s Anthem Of The Peaceful Army, GVF has travelled the world, gained experience and perhaps discovered more of their own identity. So do the Zeppelin similarities remain?

Part of the issue is Josh Kiszka’s amazing vocal range that resides in the early Robert Plant area, but here there are touches of Geddy Lee and even Jon Anderson, especially on Broken Bells. Any band stands or falls on its material and on The Battle At Garden’s Gate it’s very strong, the widescreen production adding to the band’s considerable aural finesse. Yes, there are hints of Zep in there – Built By Nations’ opening riff is from the same well as many of Page’s 70s anthems – but this influence is shared by many. So why not take George Michael’s advice and ‘listen without prejudice’. We like what we’re hearing and will watch GVF’s development with interest. [DM]

THE YARDBIRDS ROGER THE ENGINEER SUPER DELUXE EDITION Demon Records 8/10

As we know, the 1960s was a breeding ground for players who went on to be immortalised in the annals of rock history. Amazingly, three of them passed through The Yardbirds on their way to superstardom: the holy trinity of Clapton, Page and Beck. This album, originally released in 1966, was during Jeff Beck’s tenure and spawned the classic single Over, Under, Sideways, Down. The box set comprises remastered versions of both mono and stereo mixes, a 24-page booklet with new interviews and a third CD featuring alternative versions and previously unreleased material. On the latter, Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones appear long before their Zeppelin days with a remastered version of the unapologetically psychedelic Happenings Ten Years Time Ago. As far as classics go, this is a thoroughbred. [DM]

THE DAMN TRUTH NOW OR NOWHERE Sony Music 9/10

Hailing from Montreal, Canada this, The Damn Truth’s third album, could be the one that finally allows them the plaudits they deserve. They’ve toured with bands like ZZ Top and Rival Sons, but still seem to have escaped the public at large’s attention. Strange, really, because their message is one of ‘pure rock done right’ and anyone with a hankering for bands who tip their hats towards those heady days of the 70s is going to find something to enjoy here. Six tracks were produced by the legendary Bob Rock and the results speak for themselves. Vocalist Lee-la Baum really is a force to be reckoned with, conjuring visions of the great Maggie Bell in her heyday, and guitarist Tom Shemer does the same trick with some searing Slash-style licks and solos. Look out for them on tour over here early next year. [DM]